Playback template: some drums are loaded in Halion, even though I want them in NotePerformer

lucas_r_r · December 11, 2020, 9:55am

I’ve configured a playback template which uses mainly NotePerformer, while having some overrides for Halion, specifically for the singers (in order to use the Olympus Choir) and for the Temple Blocks, which are played back as toms in NotePerformer. I’ve configured the playback template like this:

However, some percussion instruments (but not all) are assigned to Halion. And the assignments don’t seem to make much sense. For instance, tom 2 is assigned to NotePerformer, but toms 1 and 3 to Halion.
Here’s the project with the issue:
drums.dorico (1.7 MB)

Some other related issues and requests that I have:

If I add the Temple blocks default percussion kit, the overrides have no effect. Is this intended? If so, I would request that adding a kit in the overrides automatically assumes that all instruments in the kit should be overridden, or better then, be overridden only if they belong to the kit.
As a consequence of the former, I had to add all the Temple blocks one by one. I think it would be a good idea to Cmd+click or to have a tick box to be able to add several instruments at once.

Thank you for your help.

Romanos · December 11, 2020, 1:49pm

Hopefully things are displaying properly for me as I did get a warning message that the playback template is not installed on my machine. That said, this is what I see:

So I see that the blocks are assigned to halion, and choir, but also “stereo GM kit”. I wonder if this is the culprit.

lucas_r_r · December 11, 2020, 2:04pm

Thank you @Romanos for your reply. I think we see the same thing. The stereo GM kit is confusing, but I didn’t put it there manually. Maybe it’s due to Dorico incorrectly (wether it’s my fault or not) assigning those drums to Halion.

dspreadbury · December 11, 2020, 4:14pm

If you want NotePerformer to be preferred to HSSE, make sure Noteperformer is first in the list.

lucas_r_r · December 11, 2020, 4:19pm

OK. I’ve done that, but now all instruments are assigned to NotePerformer, including those with overrides in Halion.
The weird thing that I can’t understand is that, if I put HSSE+HSO (Pro) first, the instruments that are assigned to Halion are just some (but not all) of the unpitched percussion ones.

lucas_r_r · December 11, 2020, 4:21pm

BTW, in case it’s useful, this is the exported Playback Template (with HSSE + HSO on top).
NotePerformer + Olympus Choir.dorico_pt.zip (1.1 KB)

lucas_r_r · December 11, 2020, 4:59pm

Now that the manuals have been updated, I’ve taken some time to review the Playback Templates page, specifically the information contained here:

It is my understanding that, although the HSSE + HSO is on top, as it has overrides, (Singers family and all the Temple blocks individual instruments), no other instruments should be picked for Halion. However, toms 1 and 3, snare drum 2 (but not 1) are still assigned to Halion.

dspreadbury · December 11, 2020, 5:24pm

Yes, you’re right in theory, but presumably there is some mismatch between the instruments that NotePerformer says it can support and the instruments you’re trying to use, which means that Dorico ends up using HALion Sonic SE anyway.

lucas_r_r · December 11, 2020, 5:28pm

Thank you Daniel. That makes sense. However, I still can’t understand why Snare Drum 1 is not routed into NotePerformer and Snare Drum 2 is, being exactly the same instrument. I guess I’ll have to make adjustments manually then…